Leveling device for the adjustment of earth working implements

ABSTRACT

A ground working machine having a ground working tool especially for ditching and tiltably supported on the ground working machine. This tool itself carries a level detecting device operable for maintaining the tool in a predetermined position relative to the vertical at all times.

United States Patent [1 1 Biimeke [451 Nov. 2, 11973 LEVELING DEVICE FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF EARTH WORKING IMPLEMENTS [75] Inventor: Josef Biimeke, Meppen, Germany [73] Assignee: Orenstein & Koppel Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin, Germany [22] Filed: June 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 153,225

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 18, 1970 Germany P 20 29 882.2

[52] U.S. Cl. 37/103, 37/108 R, 37/DIG. 20, 172/4.5, 280/6 R [51] Int. Cl E02f S/14 [58] Field of Search 37/DIG. 20, 108,

37/103; 172/4.5; 280/6.1l, 6.1, 6; 180/41; 56/102, DIG. 15

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1950 Adams... 37/DIG. 20

2,551,314 5/1951 Burton 180/41 2,872,200 2/1959 3,231,116 1/1966 Powell 214/138 Primary Examiner-Edgar S. Burr Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Att0rney-Wa1ter Becker 57 ABSTRACT A ground working machine having a ground working tool especially for ditching and tiltably supported on the ground working machine. This tool itself carries a level detecting device operable for maintaining the tool in a predetermined position relative to the vertical at all times.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEU NOV 2 0 1973 SHEET 1 BF 2 Pmmmnuvzoma 3.772.804

' SHEET 2 OF 2 Wmwrop LEVELING DEVICE FOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF EARTH WORKING HMPLEMENTS The present invention relates to a leveling device for the adjustment of working tools, especially earth moving machines such as ditch digging machines, in which the working implements, or the like, are pivotable about a horizontal axis arranged in the working direction. Leveling or planing devices are known in which the working tool can be pivoted about a horizontal axis so that the planing or leveling shovel, even if the device is standing at an incline with regard to the surface to be planed can be adjusted positively for horizontal operation. According to one heretofore known device, this is effected by an actuation by means of a hydraulic cylinder controlled at the discretion of an operator. Every time when the vehicle employed for the leveling operation is not arranged along a horizontal plane, for instance when it sinks partially into the ground, the leveling tool has to be readjusted. This is awkward and unsafe, inasmuch as during the operation, as a rule, not suflicient time remains to carry out the control of the level sufficiently frequently. If, however, a leveling measuring operation is effected, it requires time and precision.

According to another heretofore known device, a profile ditch digging shovel adjusts itself to an already leveled starting profile when a search guard is released,

and the shovel is subsequently fixed with regard to the suspension by the actuation of a search guard. Only after these preparations, a new ditch section can be prepared which is located at the level of the starting profile. According to such a method, each time when a new ditch section is to be started, an interruption of the work occurs, inasmuch as the dredge or shovel operation has first to unlock the shovel which then has to be placed into the already prepared ditch section and has again to be locked and only then, the new ditch section can be worked. With such an operation, it is necessary that the terrain in the immediate vicinity of the ditch will also with the new ditch section have the same level as that of the already prepared ditch, since otherwise a proper level continuation of the ditch is not assured. It will be appreciated that in this way errors may add up. The second possibility of operating with the shovel consists in that the lock has to be unlocked and it is necessary to wait until the scoop has found its horizontal position by means of the forces of gravity acting thereupon.

If, with particularly sticky clay,soil material remains stuck at one end of the shovel after the shovel has been emptied, a deviation from the proper level adjustment of the shovel results so that there is a basis for further inaccuracies. An adjustment of the shovel with the heretofore known device during the working operation is not possible because no foreign power is available by which the shovel can be actuated. Consequently, a change in the horizontal position of the dredge or other implement cannot be compensated for. The working position with the heretofore known device is furthermore impaired when with the hydraulic device leakage oil is encountered or when with a mechanical design wear occurs so that the actuation will no longer be positively effected.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a device by means of which independently of the operator, also during the working operation a continuous adaptation of the proper level position of the shovel to the respective position of the supporting vehicle will be effected.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic illustration of a profile shovel equipped with the leveling device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic circuit for the leveling device and for the supporting vehicle.

The leveling device according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that the profile shovel is provided with a float box having two floats which are interconnected by a centrally journaled lever, the position of which deviates from the horizontal plane and is, by means of a further lever, conveyed to a control valve which, through a conduit, is connected to a pressure oil pump and through further conduits is connected to the cylinder chambers located on both sides of the piston, which cylinder chambers pertain to the cylinders for the adjustment of the profile shovel to the horizontal, the cylinder chambers on the sides of the pistons and the cylinder chambers on the side of the rods of said cylinder chambers are crosswise interconnected by conduits.

The advantages inherent to the present invention consist primarily in that a frictional adjustment of the shovel is effected independently of the operator, inasmuch as the hydraulic circuit for controlling the profile shovel, which hydraulic circuit is under pressure, is conveyed to a branch off through a control valve which serves for the adjustment of the cylinder. This arrangement makes it possible that the automatic adjustment of the shovel will be effected during the working operation so that no interruption of the work will occur. Inasmuch as the liquid level in the float cannot be influenced from the outside, for instance by a unilateral load on the shovel, a precise level-true adjustment will be assured also over long periods of time.

Referringnow to the drawings in detail, the dipper arm 1 of a non-illustrated earth dredge has, as shown in F116. 1, linked thereto a profile shovel 2 through the intervention of a girder or traverse 3. The traverse 3 and thus the profile shovel 2 are pivotable relative to the dipper arm ll through the intervention of a joint 4 arranged transverse to the vehicle. A pivoting is effected transverse to the direction of the ditch about the joint 5 located in the longitudinal direction of the supporting vehicle. The pivoting of the profile shovel 2 is carried out by means of cylinders 6. These cylinders receive oil under pressure through the control valve 7 which is displaced from its neutral position as soon as the profile shovel 2 and the float box 8 connected thereto are displaced from their horizontal positions. Inasmuch as the oil filling in the float box remains horizontal, it will be appreciated that the floats 9 are adjusted and actuate the control valve 7 through lever 10 interconnecting said floats 9 (lever 10 being rotatable at Ill) and adjusts the control valve 7 through the lever 12 vertically connected to lever 10. As will be seen from FIG. 2, the cylinders 6 are, through conduits 113 and 14, crosswise interconnected in such a way that the cylinder chamber 6a, located on the side of the bars or rods and pertaining to one cylinder is connected to the cylinder chamber 6b at the piston side of the other cylinder so that synchronism will be assured. By means of the conduits l5 and 16, the cylinders 6 are connected to the control valve 7. A pump 17 of the hydraulic circuit of the supporting vehicle communicates through conduit 18 with the control valve 7. The hydraulic circuit of the supporting vehicle is indicated by thin lines, and comprises a working cylinder and a control valve for actuating said working cylinder.

The leveling device according to the present invention operates as follows. As soon as the profile shovel 2, in view of an inclined position of the dredge due to unevenness of the ground leaves its horizontal position, the control valve 7 with the above referred to means moves from the neutral position shown in FIG. 2 to the position I or II whereby oil under pressure passes from pump 17 into cylinders 6 so that the latter will adjust the profile shovel. This operation is effected until the profile shovel has reached again its horizontal position and consequently the control slide is again in its neutral position.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, instead of two adjusting cylinders, there may also be employed a synchronous cylinder or a differential cylinder which may be actuated by means of heretofore known controls, furthermore, instead of arranging the float box fixedly to the profile shovel, the float box may also be journaled about a turning point (designated in FIG. 1 with the numeral 20) on the profile shovel so that also inclined surfaces can be leveled. Depending on the desired angular position of the shovel, the float box may again be fixed to the shovel after an effected angular turning movement.

What is claimed is:

l. A ground working machine having a ground working tool thereon, said machine having a support beam and said tool being pivotally supported on said beam for tilting about an axis extending in the fore and aft direction of the machine, fluid motor means connected between said tool and said beam to tilt said too] about said axis, a source of fluid under pressure, valve means connecting said source with said motor means operable for reversibly supplying fluid to said motor means and for entrapping fluid in said motor means, and control means operatively connected to said valve in controlling relation thereto and the improvement therewith comprising in combination level sensing means mounted on said tool itself and responsive to a change in the lateral inclination of said tool itself from a predetermined position to actuate said valve means to supply fluid to said motor means to return said tool itself to said predetermined position, said level sensing means mounted on said tool itself comprising a float box on said tool and a body of liquid therein, float means floating on said liquid, said valve means being mounted on said tool, and linkage means connecting said float means with said valve means, said linkage means including a laterally extending lever pivoted between the ends thereof to said box, and said float means comprising a float on each end of said laterally extending lever, said motor means comprising a motor connected between said beam and each lateral side of said tool, said motors being double acting motors and cross connected whereby the motors act in unison to tilt said tool in each direction on said beam, said float box being joumalled to turn on said tool. 

1. A ground working machine having a ground working tool thereon, said machine having a support beam and said tool being pivotally supported on said beam for tilting about an axis extending in the fore and aft direction of the machine, fluid motor means connected between said tool and said beam to tilt said tool about said axis, a source of fluid under pressure, valve means connecting said source with said motor means operable for reversibly supplying fluid to said motor means and for entrapping fluid in said motor means, and control means operatively connected to said valve in controlling relation thereto and the improvement therewith comprising in combination level sensing means mounted on said tool itself and responsive to a change in the lateral inclination of said tool itself from a predetermined position to actuate said valve means to supply fluid to said motor means to return said tool itself to said predetermined position, said level sensing means mounted on said tool itself comprising a float box on said tool and a body of liquid therein, float means floating on said liquid, said valve means being mounted on said tool, and linkage means connecting said float means with said valve means, said linkage means including a laterally extending lever pivoted between the ends thereof to said box, and said float means comprising a float on each end of said laterally extending lever, said motor means comprising a motor connected between said beam and each lateral side of said tool, said motors being double acting motors and cross connected whereby the motors act in unison to tilt said tool in each direction on said beam, said float box being journalled to turn on said tool. 